1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer-assisted design of models and, more specifically, to a system and method of dynamic clearance checking using a geometric model.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vehicle design, and in particular automotive vehicle design, has advanced to a state in which computer-assisted design techniques are frequently incorporated in the development of a new vehicle, or redesign of an existing vehicle. At the same time, enhanced visualization software tools have been developed that allow for interactive display and manipulation of large-scale geometric models, including models developed using Computer-Aided Design (CAD). The combined use of Computer-Aided Design and visualization techniques is especially beneficial in designing, packaging and assembling various proposals into a vehicle model, to evaluate the design and functional capabilities of the vehicle model. Advantageously, potential vehicle model designs can be considered in a timely and cost-effective manner by analyzing a digital representation of a proposed design, versus preparing a physical prototype of the vehicle.
One aspect of the design process is to construct a geometric model of the proposed design using a technique known as Computer-Aided Design (CAD). Another aspect of the design process is the use of mathematical tools, collectively referred to as Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE), to constrain and guide the designer in evaluating the design and to optimize the performance of the design. The use of a CAE simulation allows for verification of a design intent, including its systems, subsystems and components, and suggestion for improvement. CAE simulations are advantageous in various types of vehicle analysis, such as vehicle safety analysis. Examples of CAE techniques include Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), and visualization analysis. Various software tools are available to perform the CAE analysis. Recent enhancements to the software and the computing power of modern computers have resulted in a reduction in the amount of computer processing time required to perform the CAE analysis. Therefore, CAE tools can be utilized earlier in the design process and applied to a wider range of product development activities.
Various methods are utilized to evaluate a proposed design of a model, such as the vehicle of this example. Previously, a physical “buck” or prototype of the model was built to provide information regarding the proposed model design. For example, clearance, or the physical distance between component parts is extremely important to the designer, since it describes how individual component parts fit together in the model. An interference condition occurs when one component part intrudes into the physical space of another component part. The physical buck provides clearance information visually, however; it is time consuming to build the physical buck, and to update the physical buck as the design changes.
An emerging trend in the model design process, as a result of enhanced CAE computational capabilities, is the use of a digital buck or digital prototype to analyze a particular design concept. In the past, the digital buck would be interrogated for clearances on an intermittent basis, and the clearance results were stored in a database. While this strategy works, it is time consuming to periodically perform the clearance analysis and costly to rework a component if a clearance concern is detected. Also, there wasn't a process in place that integrated clearance rule definitions, clearance calculator software, clearance study results and potential issue management.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a system and method of automatically integrating clearance rules and conditions for checking clearance between component parts within a geometric model using these clearance rules and conditions, and to provide the results to an issue manager in a customizable format.